1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to techniques for interfacing optical fibers with optical fiber communications devices and, in particular, to a system and method for communicating optical signals between an optical fiber and an optical communications device via an optical fiber faceplate.
2. Related Art
In current optical fiber communications systems, a fiber optic ribbon connector typically secures a plurality of optical fibers. The fiber optic connector can be coupled to a housing which may include an optical element of transparent material, such as glass for example. The optical element couples optical signals between an optical communications device and an optical fiber secured by the fiber optic connector. As an example, the optical communications device can be a laser transmitter for transmitting optical signals, or the optical communications device can be a photodetector capable of receiving optical signals and of converting the received optical signals into electrical signals for further processing.
The optical communications device is located on a side of the optical element opposite of the fiber optic connector. Through a variety of aligning methods, the cores of the optical fibers secured by the fiber optic connector face the optical element and are aligned with the optical communications device (i.e., are aligned with the laser transmitters or photodetectors of the optical communications device). Therefore, optical signals transmitted from the cores of the optical fibers pass through the optical element in the housing and are received by the optical communications device. Also, signals transmitted by the optical communications device pass through the transparent optical element in the housing and are received by the optical fibers secured by the fiber optic connector.
By separating the optical communications device from the optical fibers secured by the fiber optic connector, the housing helps to protect the optical communications device from damage. However, the separation of the optical communications device from the optical fibers secured by the fiber optic connector creates certain problems and difficulties. For example, as known in the art, light tends to diverge as it travels. Therefore, when optical signals are transmitted out of the optical fibers secured by the fiber optic connector, the optical signals diverge (i.e., expand) while the signals travel from the optical fibers to the optical communications device. In many instances where multiple signals are being communicated, this divergence causes the optical signals to overlap and interfere with one another. In addition, the divergence of the optical signal also requires a photodetector with a larger cross-sectional area to capture the entire optical signal. Increasing the size of the photodetector usually increases the capacitance of the photodetector, thereby resulting in slower processing of the optical signal by the photodetector. Typically, the farther the optical fibers are located from the optical communications device, the more pronounced are the adverse effects described above.
In order to reduce cross talk and other adverse effects, some prior art systems utilize ball lenses in or on the optical element of the housing in order to focus the light from the core of each optical fiber secured by the fiber optic connector to the optical communications device and vice versa. However, positioning the components of the system such that the optical signals are appropriately focused can be a difficult and expensive process.
Other prior art systems utilize optical fiber stubs located in the optical element of the housing. Therefore, optical signals communicated with each optical fiber secured by the fiber optic connector pass into a corresponding optical fiber stub in the optical element of the housing. Since each light signal passes through an optical fiber stub in the optical element of the housing, the light signals are prevented from diverging as the signals pass through the optical element. However, in order to minimize losses, each optical fiber secured by the fiber optic connector and the optical communications device should be precisely aligned with an optical fiber stub in the optical element. Achieving such a precise alignment of the optical fiber stubs with the optical communications device and the optical fibers secured by the fiber optic connector can be a difficult process. Furthermore, most prior art systems for aligning optical fiber stubs with the optical communications devices and the optical fibers secured by the fiber optic connector include complex and expensive components, thereby increasing the complexity and cost of adequately aligning optical fiber stubs.
Thus, an unaddressed need exists in the industry for providing a system and method of simply and efficiently interfacing optical communications devices with cores of optical fibers secured by a fiber optic connector.